Background: Settled as early as 1000 B. C. Samoa was 'discovered' by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S 170 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 199 km²
Land: 199 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 116 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains two coral atolls (Rose Island Swains Island)

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Lata 966 m

Natural resources: pumice pumicite

Land use
Arable land: 5%
Permanent crops: 10%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 70%
Other: 15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March

Geography
Note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Population: 67,084 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 2.42% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: American Samoan
Adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89% Caucasian 2% Tongan 4% other 5%

Languages
Note: most people are bilingual

Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50% Roman Catholic 20% Protestant and other 30%

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.44% (male 13,278; female 12,512)
15-64 years: 56.57% (male 18,784; female 19,163)
65 years and over: 4.99% (male 1,779; female 1,568) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.42% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 24.88 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.58 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male/female
Total population: 1.02 male/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.36 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.32 years
Male: 70.89 years
Female: 80.02 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 98%
Female: 97% (1980 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
Conventional short form: American Samoa
Abbreviation: AS

Government type: NA

Capital: Pago Pago

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern Manu'a Rose Island* Swains Island* Western

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Flag Day 17 April (1900)

Constitution: ratified 1966 in effect 1967

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
Head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997)
Cabinet: NA
Elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
Election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8%

Legislative branch
Elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - only independents elected
Note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term

Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate) Interpol (subbureau) IOC SPC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of the US)
From the us: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority a staff and a war club

Economy overview: This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location its limited transportation and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism a developing sector has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: bananas coconuts vegetables taro breadfruit yams copra pineapples papayas; dairy products livestock

Industries: tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels) handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 14,000 (1996)
By occupation: government 33% tuna canneries 34% other 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 16% (1993)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
Expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

Exports: $500 million (1998)
Commodities: canned tuna 93%
Partners: US 99.6%

Imports: $471 million (1996)
Commodities: materials for canneries 56% food 8% petroleum products 7% machinery and parts 6%
Partners: US 62% Japan 9% NZ 7% Australia 11% Fiji 4% other 7%

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity
Production: 130 million kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1999)
Consumption: 120.9 million kWh (1999)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 13,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 2,550 (1997)

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Internet
Country code: .as
Service providers isps: 1 (2000)
Users: NA

Airports: 4 (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Waterways: none

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)